SciTech Europa Quarterly Issue 32

2nd September 2019

The latest edition of SciTech Europa Quarterlyexplores the topics of innovation solutions to rural challenges and the bio-economy in the EU.

Recent editions of this publication have opened with a reference to changes happening in Europe, from Brexit to May’s European Parliament election. This edition, however, begins with a change much closer to home; as this is my first edition of SciTech Europa Quarterly as editor. Although our previous editor Clifford Holt took good care of this publication over the past seven years, I look forward to stepping into his shoes and looking towards the future of SEQ.

Growing up in a rural hamlet in the East of England has given me first-hand experience of the struggle between merging the digital world and the rural world. Instead of fibre-optic broadband, we had to make do with a satellite dish on the side of the house streaming internet from Italy; and to this day, mobile phones are useless unless connected to Wi-Fi. I mention this only to demonstrate how common but tiny digital annoyances such as these are minuscule compared to those currently faced by farmers across the rural areas of Europe.

‘Bioeconomy’ not only refers to the production of renewable biological resources, but also to industries having strong innovation potential. Technology across rural Europe is sparse, with even less funding and resources going into the development of a more technologically advanced bioeconomy. Farmers are left with outdated infrastructures and the inability to incorporate new, forward thinking tools into their livelihood. Although intimidating to some, Artificial Intelligence is starting to demonstrate its potential in broadening opportunities for farmers and enriching the rural bioeconomy.

I welcome you to my first edition of SEQ, which is introduced by Willem Jonker, Chief Executive Officer of EIT Digital, discussing how we need to start valuing data much higher that we do today and how talent is changing the face of Europe.

What to expect inside this publication:

A look into how the EIC are boosting European innovation

An analysis of the global challenges of new and innovative collaboration methods

A deep dive into the new beginning for the European Southern Observatory and the Cherenkov telescope array